Villa 0-2 Arsenal: Raya's Spectacular Save

There’s something special about matchdays with the Steel City Gooners, and last Saturday was no exception.

As the sun shone brightly over Lawrenceville, a solid crowd of Arsenal fans gathered at Cork Harbour Pub, ready to cheer our Gunners to victory. The atmosphere was buzzing, but you could feel the tension in the air. Aston Villa, now a Champions League club, were never going to be an easy opponent. The first half was a nail-biter, with both teams battling hard. Villa suffered a couple of early injuries, which allowed Arsenal to press forward, but it was still a grind.

Then came the moment that had the entire bar gasping in disbelief. David Raya, our man between the sticks, pulled off what can only be described as the save of the season. An Ollie Watkins rebound header looked destined for the back of the net after a deflection off the crossbar, but Raya somehow kept it out. The place erupted. This was why we signed him—quality in every sense.

The second half belonged to Arsenal. Leandro Trossard broke the deadlock, and Thomas Partey sealed the deal with a second goal. The tension melted away as we secured the 2-0 win, bringing our tally to 6 points for the season. We could have had more if not for a few missed chances, but no one was complaining. A win’s a win!

As the final whistle blew, the pints started flowing, and the familiar sounds of "North London Forever" filled the pub. It’s moments like these that make being a Gooner so special—cheering together, singing together, and celebrating together.

Scarves are on the way, we promise!

For those wondering about the Steel City Gooners scarves, they weren’t at the pub this time around, but no worries—they’ll be available next week when we host Brighton for an early 7:30 a.m. kickoff on August 31. If you can’t make it but want your scarf before the Tottenham match on September 15, just reach out to the SCG to sort out a pickup.

A massive thanks to everyone who showed up and made the day one to remember. We can’t wait to do it all again next week. Come on, you Gunners!